Heartbreak
by naiyangel
Summary: A series of heartbreak one-shots concerning random members of the Forks gang. Out of order, on purpose. If you have any ideas for more heartbreak instances, contact me. Please review, feel free to flame. So far: Lauren, Eric, Leah posted.
1. Lauren

**Heartbreak**

_**Ever wondered why Lauren is so bitter? I did. So I made up a reason.**_

_**This story takes place their freshman year. It's written from Lauren's POV. There's a new character introduced—she's of my own invention. Jessica is a little bit OOC, but I was having fun with her.**_

_**Enjoy! Leave me a review, please!**_

I sat down across from Tyler. Both of us were taking a break from the dance—the song was awful. Jessica sat with us. I found myself studying his features carefully, his sky blue eyes, baby soft blonde locks, abnormally long nose, his pale white skin, his skinny limbs that didn't at all betray his strength. All in all, not the most attractive boy, but still the one always on my mind.

"Tyler? You still with us?" Jessica asked, waving a hand in front of his face.

"What? Oh, yeah, right. What were we talking about?" he said, trying to seem as if he had been paying attention the entire time.

"Nothing. You just looked lost," she replied.

"You know what, Tyler, I could swear you looked lovesick right there," I joked, partially at my own expense. They didn't notice. I was surprised Jessica hadn't said anything about my expression as I had been staring at him.

"Um, well, I guess that's kinda true…" he said nervously.

I was in shock. "_What_???" Had he been thinking the same things about me? Was he about to admit love? I was lost in wishful dreaming.

"Gift," he whispered. I thought that with the loud music, I had misheard him.

"What did you say?"

"Gift!" he yelled over the music.

I felt as if I had been stabbed and whispered, "What about her?" The _foreign exchange student_, of all people—from Thailand!

"I was just thinking..." he trailed off.

Jessica cut in. I'm not too sure why, she definitely had no idea what I felt about him. But I didn't want to talk anyway. Gift, who had a last name I couldn't pronounce. One of my best friends. And as far as Tyler was concerned, all I was to him was another "best friend". All of my daydreaming flew out the window.

Anyway, Jessica cut into this downhill conversation, petting his hair. "Your hair is so soft, Tyler! I love it! Same as a little baby's!" There's Jessica for you.

He perked up at the prospect of a change of conversation. I don't think either of them realized that I was still gaping at him. "Hey, I have a photo of me as a kid in my locker. Wanna see it?" What a random thing to say, but how appropriate.

I closed my mouth. "Sure," I said, in calm, controlled tones. No idea how I was speaking. He led us to his locker, unlocked it, and dramatically swung open the door. A small photograph had been taped up. A middle-aged man, presumably his father, was lying on the floor, reading a newspaper. Lying on the floor the opposite way so that their heads were touching, was a toddler boy, obviously Tyler. The hair was exactly the same, only now it was much longer, hanging in his face all the time so that he had to shake it out every thirty seconds. Tyler, in the picture, was holding a picture book upside down, unable to read it.

"It's so cute!" cooed Jessica.

"It is. Very cute." I still don't know how I managed to get anything out in my shell-shocked state.

"Yeah, Tyler, what happened?" Jessica laughed. He shook his hair out of his face indignantly.

"Hey! That was uncalled for!"

"Jessica, that's even ruder than anything _I_ said to him—and I've said some pretty rude things!" I exclaimed.

"Even Mike said it was cute," said Tyler. I didn't know Mike very well yet, so I said nothing, nor did I even have an opinion on this.

"Really? He _never_ says anything like that!" said Jessica. Tyler shrugged it off, shook his hair out of his face, and we trooped back to the dance. Halfway there, he paused and turned to the both of us.

"Hey, what do you think Gift would do if I went up and started, y'know, grinding with her?" That question was the last nail in the coffin for me. It took all of my self-control to not either burst into tears or throttle him.

"She'd freak out! I don't think she even _knows_ what grinding is!" Jessica said loudly.

I made up my mind. If I wasn't going to be happy with him, no sense in seeing him lose that wonderful smile. Besides, Gift _was_ one of my closest friends. So I spoke, in the same dangerous quiet that neither either noticed or chose to make a point of. "Do it, Tyler. I doubt she'll freak. She'll just think you're goofing off as usual."

"I disagree—" started Jessica, but I silenced her with a poke.

"Okay, then, what do I do?" he asked nervously.

"It's easy!" Jessica enthused. "Just put your hands on her hips or waist, whichever, and sway slowly from side to side. She'll hold your shoulders."

"Okaaaay…."

We went back to our seats. I kept my eyes on Tyler to see what he would do. He shook his hair out of his face and sat down. I did the same, but this time, I sat next to him instead of across from him (and I didn't shake out my hair). Tyler went to go dance with Gift and Angela, a close friend of hers, and by default, mine.

"What are you waiting for?" I hissed at Tyler, who had recommenced staring lovingly at Gift. At least this time I recognized the look for what it was.

But when I spoke, he turned to look at me. "Christmas," he deadpanned. I raised my eyebrows and he couldn't keep his face straight. He laughed, and again, his hair fell in his face, so he shook it out.

"Honestly, go do it!" I urged him. He shook his head fearfully. This in itself was hilarious. Gift was such a softie; she couldn't hurt a fly when she first came here. I punched his arm. "Go!" He didn't even bother to respond this time. I sighed and left to join Jessica, Angela, and of course, Gift.

I pretended to dance, pretended to enjoy myself, but I felt broken inside, ready to cry. I kept glancing at Tyler in the corner. He kept glancing at us. Wasn't I pretty enough for him? Did he have something against perfect, gorgeous blondes? Or was the problem that I had made a habit of making fun of him? He still wasn't showing up. I hissed to Jessica, "Go get him! He likes you better than he likes me anyways!" I figured that it was probably true, anyways. No point in dreaming anymore.

"No, he just finds me annoying," she replied with a laugh. Finally, I got tired of waiting. I guided Gift to the water fountain and glanced at Tyler along the way. He looked at me questioningly, then at Gift. I shook my head slightly and when we reached the water fountain, she jerked away from me. "What's the matter?" she asked.

"Listen, I need to know. Do you like Tyler or not?"

"No, why?" I didn't know. Was this a good thing or bad? "Why, Lauren?"

"Just curious." I took a long drink and began to head back. She stopped me.

"Tell me why."

What was I supposed to say? This was such a dumb idea. 'Oh, by the way, Gift, Tyler is desperately in love with you and wants to dance with you'? Um, no. Instead, I said, "Oh, you two were…ah…dancing next to each other for a lot of the time, that's all." I wondered if that sounded as lame to her as it did to me.

Apparently not, for she nodded thoughtfully and replied, "Lauren, that was because we were in a circle the whole time."

"Oh. Right." I sounded _so_ stupid. She went back to the circle and I excused myself to speak with Tyler. "Well?"

I had to congratulate him inwardly—he didn't bring up the fact that I had just spoken with Gift. "Well, what?"

"When are you going to make a move?" At least he had some character. He waited before moving.

"Um…the songs are too fast for slow-dancing." How lame.

"Okay, I'll go to the D.J. and request slow love songs, all right?"

"Sure! Great." He sounded excited. Maybe he hadn't been lying. So I did as I promised.

I again returned to the dance circle of my friends. Mike and Jessica had gone off by themselves to dance, but it was still by far the largest one. The songs gradually became slower and more love-like as the end of the dance loomed nearer. I noticed that Tyler had gotten out of his seat now. His hands were stuffed in his pockets and he moved incredibly slowly as he came towards us. I pulled Jessica nearer to me and made a space for him next to Gift. He slid in just as the perfect grinding dance came on. He whispered something into Gift's ear and she shrugged. They moved away…and began to dance. He grinned at us and Jessica gave him a thumbs-up. It was amusing to watch—Tyler was an entire foot taller than Gift. He was my height or a couple inches taller. On impulse, I wished that any guy from my old group of friends, yes, even Eric, would show up to give me company. Eventually, the song ended and Tyler awkwardly let go of Gift. Both literally ran to join opposite sides of the circle—he just so happened to come in next to me. "Congratulations," I said in a choked whisper. His grin was from ear to ear.

"Thanks!" He was about to say more, but the D.J. was announcing the last song. "Now I have just one goal left."

"What's that?" asked Jessica. I jumped in surprise—where had she come from?

"I'm gonna try to give Gift a hug before leaving."

"Good luck! But I'm positive this_ will _freak her out," she said cheerfully.

"See, Tyler? You didn't have to wait until Christmas," I joked. Jessica looked from me to him in confusion and he was quick to explain. None of us three danced to the last song, merely waited for it to finish. As soon as the music stopped, the lights came on and Gift was on her way out. Jessica pushed Tyler towards her.

He stumbled. Gift heard him and turned around. Hesitantly, Tyler opened his arms to give her a hug. She let him and he quickly wrapped his arms around her and let go in a hug that lasted a grand total of two seconds. He returned to us. "I did it!" He was overjoyed.

"Yep. I'm proud of you, Tyler," said Jessica. She gave his hair a final pat and he shook it out to purposely irritate her. "Bye!" She left.

Tyler and I were left staring at each other, waiting for the other to speak. Finally, I broke the awkward silence. "Good job."

"Thanks." The silence resumed.

"Um…see you?" I said tentatively, just to stop the silence.

"Yeah, see you." He practically ran away, very much relieved to end that very awkward moment.

I went up to the second floor and pretend to start dismantling the decorations. In reality, I was watching my four good friends leave. Tears threatened to spill over. A hand touched my arm and I cried out in surprise. "Need help?" It was another member of the Student Government. I shrugged and apologized for screaming. He brushed it off and we took down the decorations together.

* * *

**If you want me to continue, just leave me a review telling me so, with an idea. But I think, for now, I'm just going to leave it as is.**

**As a fellow author says, reviews are cookies. Everybody loves cookies---and I'm hungry! So leave me a cookie, pretty please with a cherry on top? I need feedback!**


	2. Eric

**Another Heartbreak Chapter**

_I've expanded "Heartbreak" not to be Lauren's story, but a series of out-of-order one-shots. Instances of heartbreak from random people of the Forks gang, you know? It's Eric's turn this time, and it's short, but I don't have time to write. I'm really sorry, but in a couple months, I swear, I'll have time again, and work harder on updating!_

* * *

Prom was FINALLY rolling around. I had been waiting for this night for ages! Finally, I would get a chance to show off to HER what I could look like under the right light (or non-light). My tuxedo was absolutely perfect for me, and I had perfected my dancing style to be handsome, classy, and seductive, all at the same time. All my friends would be there, and all those who didn't know me very well, too. I would show them! I wasn't the geek they all thought I was! All I had to wait was a single week!

But first, I had to buy myself a ticket, but I had spent all my money on my newest Xbox game, so I had to go to my mother for money. "Mom?" I started.

It was a fruitless disaster. All she did was yell about how I needed to be better about handling money. Dad was next; he agreed with Mom.

I tried again the next day, appealing to her sweet, motherly side this time. "Eric! You had better march to your room this instant, young man! I don't want to hear another word about prom, or this Bella Swan! Your grades have been dropping, and I want you to spend your free time studying, not chasing after girls! There'll be plenty of time for girls once you're out of school!"

"But, Mom! I've been waiting for so long! Besides, you told me a few weeks ago that I could go!" I wasn't lying, either. She had told me I could!

"I don't remember that," she said stonily, crossing her arms.

"But I have the prom yearbook page! I HAVE to be there to take pictures, at least!"

"So get pictures from one of your friends," she said. "I'm not changing my opinion on this!"

"Fine!" I screamed, and slammed the door shut behind me, knowing I was going to get grounded even worse for this. I didn't care. Edward Cullen had ended up with Bella's heart. Mike had won Jessica's. And who was I? Nobody. The chess geek that everyone hates, but tolerates so they can cheat off of his tests.

Raw anger seethed just under my skin. I lashed out on the closest thing to me—my bed. I kicked it as hard as I could, but because I was so out of shape, all I managed to do was jam my big toe. Why did my parents have to be like this? They suffocated me so much. All they did was tighten the noose more and more around me, and the more I fought, the less I was allowed to breathe. If they ever saw me talking to a girl, they immediately jumped to the wrong conclusion and thought that I was sleeping with her during my free time. Yeah. As if. Not a single girl at Forks High can even stand the thought of me! If I try to wear jeans to school, they yell at me about "inappropriate school attire". They cannot understand that jeans are normal school wear. They're in constant contact with my teachers, so they always know if I get anything less than a hundred on anything, and all hell breaks loose if they ever catch wind of an assignment with anything less than an A+ on it.

The next day at school, Mike caught up with me. "Hey, Yorkey! Are you going to prom? I need to buy my ticket with somebody so that I can get the couples discount."

"So go save your five dollars with Jessica," I growled.

"But she already bought her ticket," he whined, "with Angela!"

"Get over it. Spend the extra five bucks."

"But…I don't have enough money!" he moaned. "Wait, you aren't going to prom, are you?" Mike laughed evilly. "I shoulda known! The geek isn't going to prom! Hah!"

"Shut up, Mike Newton!" I yelled, my hands balled into fists.

"Excuse me, Mr. Yorkey, but that kind of behavior is not tolerated at this school." I turned around just to be face-to-face with the principal. I cussed, knowing that I couldn't get in much more trouble than I was already bound to be in.

I was right. That night, my parents wouldn't let me hear the end of the amount of trouble I was in for landing myself in detention for the rest of the week.

I ran to my room, and locked the door. I didn't want to hear anymore from anyone. Just because I wanted a little bit of life, I was punished so severely all the time. Is there a magical incantation for misery? Because I need some. Maybe I should just take some Lexipro?

I managed to crack open the window and jump out. I fell onto a bed of grass, and ran, ran as fast as I could, just to get away from everything. I kept running, until I couldn't breathe anymore, but kept running. I registered mildly that I wasn't wearing a jacket and that it was still very cold, but still ran. Blackness started to envelope me, but that didn't stop me. I kept going. Until I could see nothing more. There was nothing left, except for these loud, wretched, sobbing gasps.

Was that really what I sounded like? I collapsed, everything spinning wildly out of control. No wonder I was hated. I was a pathetic JERK.

That needed to change. Today. I ripped off the glasses, but couldn't focus, and ended ripping out a lock of that greasy mop on top of my head instead.

I tore, scratched, and ripped, insanity having gripped my soul.

The next thing I knew, I was in a white room, and there was an oxygen mask on my face, and quiet beeps from my left.

Crap. I would never hear the end of this…


	3. Leah

**Heartbreak**

* * *

_Hey, again! After reading Breaking Dawn, I saw a couple loose ends, and figured that they needed to be wrapped up in a Heartbreak chapter. So, there are many spoilers in this chapter. If you have not read Breaking Dawn, I strongly suggest not reading this chapter until you have. _

_Also, I STILL need Newton interlude ideas! Another Newton chapter is coming soon enough, I promise...  
I wouldn't mind any Heartbreak ideas, either. And now I'll shut up. _

* * *

It was the hardest thing I've ever had to hide. But I managed. I've dealt with heartbreak once; I can do it yet again.

I never admitted it to Jacob; I simply couldn't. He was obsessed with Bella Swan—sorry, Cullen. Bella Cullen. How could I possibly tell him my second motive for joining his pack? I didn't even admit it to my own brother, Seth. I couldn't face Sam, Seth, or Jacob, not with this information.

The truth was, Jacob could be a right pain. I let him know THAT on a daily basis. But I had grown to care for him, and it was one of the most difficult things for me to see when he was bleeding from the heart. He was, most of the time. I hear his thoughts all the time, and it's quite nerve-wracking, to say the least.

Finally, he seemed to be recovering. At least, he attempted to—he went out with the Vanquish that the bloodsucker loaned him to look for girls. But when Jacob came back, he was still bleeding, and seemed to be wallowing even worse. Then, Renesmee. What a silly name. But, for God's sake, he IMPRINTED on the child! The child that shouldn't exist!

I guess that, all selfishness aside, it's the best thing that could've happened for Jacob. He became a part of Bella's family properly, and resolved that ridiculous obsession with the leech-lover. He still got a brown-haired, brown-eyed beauty out of the deal. But selfish me! I still wonder what my whole role is in the whole deal. No fights with the Cullens? Is that my whole reward? Another treaty? Everybody got their happy ending, except for me. Even my mother!

I wonder if I should pull a Jacob and run wolf. Or—I had heard some of Jacob's other thoughts, and couldn't help but wonder about one that he had. If I fired a bullet into my temple, what would happen? What was the worst that could happen? I didn't see anything wrong with this idea.

One day, when Mom and I came over to Charlie's , I saw his gun belt hanging up in the kitchen. The two lovebirds went outside to grill some burgers, and I carefully took the gun out. My hands, to my surprise, were shaking. Was I ready for this? I thought I was. I took aim, and fired.

I didn't black out, and there was little pain. I remembered that the brain has no nerves. Red filled my vision. I couldn't tell if it was blood or if it was the red haze that came before phasing. Through the blur, I saw Charlie and Mom standing over me, having rushed in after hearing the gunshot.

Suddenly, I couldn't contain the shaking anymore, and exploded into wolf form. Mom had seen the signs enough times to jerk herself and Charlie out of my way. I ran out, the physical wound already healing. Jacob heard my thoughts—he was out hunting with Renesmee. As fast as he could, he left the girl with Rosalie, and ran towards me. I stumbled for the first time while running away from him, and collapsed, unable to think.

'Come on, Leah', I heard him think. 'I'll bring you to the Carlisle; he'll fix you up! Who shot you?'

I refused to think back at him. He was kind enough not to pry in my thoughts, an acquired skill that we had developed for privacy's sake. A talent that had never been respected in Sam's pack. Granted, I was one of the people who refused to give people privacy through bitterness, but still.

It was Jacob's thoughts about me that helped me change and realize what was wrong with me. A bitter harpy, he'd called me. They were all so resentful of me. The girl wolf with something so wrong with her. Was it just paranoia? I don't think so. I tried to explain my feelings to Jacob, but it made him so nervous. He couldn't wait to be out of that conversation.

Jacob made it to me in several minutes. 'Phase back!' he tried to tell me, panicked. But I couldn't move. He sighed, and phased into human form himself. Picking me up—it must've been hard; I was the smallest wolf, but still bigger than him in human form—he ran back to the Cullens' house. A small moan escaped my lips. He glanced at me, worry etched in every feature. "That was sure stupid," he said, shaking his head. "I hope Carlisle can get that bullet out of your head."

I hadn't told him what happened, but he had guessed, after all. "Why did you do it? Do you know?" His question kept coming. As if he didn't know what had driven me to it! He knew that I was heartbroken, but he thought it was still due to Sam. Could I possibly blame this on Sam still? Would I drive a wedge between Sam and Emily? I cursed myself for not thinking about the implications this would bring on. I wondered how to possibly kill a shape-shifting wolf. We healed so quickly! How was I not dead?

I didn't know what was happening as Jacob dropped me off, as Carlisle worked on me, anything. I didn't comprehend anything until I saw a single face, one of the Cullens' few visitors. A single, beatific face stood out from among the rest. Alistair.

To imprint on one of the cold ones, especially one I had encountered before! But then, I remembered, I had been staying as far away from the vampires as I could. Never had I actually met any of the visitors. But I'd seen this one through Jacob's thoughts. I guess that just wasn't enough.

The way he gazed at my face—somehow, I was human again—was something that I had only seen in other's thoughts. The way Kim and Jared had looked at each other the first time. Like a blind man seeing the sun for the first time. I was sure I looked the same way.

But this was a bloodsucker! Our friendship with the Cullens shows that it's possible to have alliances between the two kinds, but this type of relationship? I was sure, intellectually, it was an impossibility, as much as my heart sang out towards Alistair. I knew I was resilient, but I still asked myself: could I really handle heartbreak a third time?

The answer was simple. Yes. Yes, I could. And I will.


End file.
